I'm a redeemed child of God and the momma to four vivacious daughters. I'm passionate about finding hidden blessings in the trials of life, living it out in an honest and open way, while encouraging those around me to believe in better.

12May

in {real} life.

Friendship.

Women.

Insecurities.

Deep down, so many of us struggle with the same issues. Who knew? Many hide it so well. *I* hide it so well.

What started on Friday night as a private viewing of beautiful, encouraging words, continued on Saturday with more encouragement to connect as a sister-community.

A few of my favorite take-aways?

Community is the people around you
who help you get through the mess.

Your story matters because you matter. Because the
God who made you is writing a story through you.

We must choose how we wield out words; life is hard and we all
fall and we need sisters who will stand in the gap for us.

Together we bend down when one hunches over in pain
and pick up the shards of hearts that are shattered.

What started as a thought, “let’s move online friendships into real life,” turned into an amazing day of women connecting. In REAL life.

Here’s what (in)courage had to say:

Having prayed for this day for nearly a year, to see the faces of the womenconnecting (in) real life, was like meeting an answered prayer face to face.

This day of Jesus bringing together His daughters in a celebration of community?This was a day and a moment that only God could sign His name to.

I look at this group of women and am at a loss for words. It’s almost as if what we shared for those few hours were sacred, and words wouldn’t do them justice. The time we spent together seems a blur and in some ways I can’t recall the details except to say it was beautiful and sacred and treasured.

We were brave introverts {along with a couple extraverts}, to open our hearts to each other. A sacred afternoon indeed.

I’ll tell you what … I really wanted to host an event at my home, but really struggled with the timing and some things happening in our lives. But after praying about it, I decided to step out in faith and sign up to host.

I. am. so thrilled that I did. One thing I didn’t think about when signing up to “host” … is that I would be the … well … the host! I just thought I would open my home and get to decorate pretty for a party. It absolutely didn’t dawn on me that I’d also have to facilitate our meet-up. I’ll call that blind faith! :)

Anyway … opening my home couldn’t have been a huger blessing to me! Planning, decorating and futzing kept me busy and preoccupied. And it also filled some creative juices I’d been yearning to be filled.

The swag bags I put together included little goodies one might need in making a new friend: altoids, chapstick, tissues, and pretty nails! And I owe a very special thank you to my online, soon-to-be-real-life friend Dawn, for the crocheted sand dollars!

The whole program … Friday and Saturday … was a complete blessing to me. My heart is full.

Psst … if you’re looking for community, encouragement, or just to know you’re not alone in this thing we call sisterhood, I’d like to encourage you to pre-order the 2 DVD disc set and the expanded 80 page study booklet over here.

Oh my goodness, I so loved watching your meetup via Instagram and Twitter – some of the most beautiful (in)RL goodies I ever could have imagine. Just wow and so so so pretty. I’m thrilled you lovely introverts were so brave and even more happy that you were blessed by that courage. Yay all around! Thank you for being part of (in)RL with us!

i love those litle tidbits you shared… about community, and messes and picking up the shards of our hearts. i wish that there had been a meet-up near me, but maybe next time i’ll be the brave one… or i’ll just get in the car and drive to you :) all that candy could have gotten me there! i loved being a part of your day, though, even from this distance! and i don’t think it was by chance that my ribbon perfectly matched your decor :) xoxodawn recently posted..all for her

You are so right Tracie, it was hard to put into words the time we all shared this weekend. Perhaps, a divine appointment with the Holy Spirit would sum it up. I could feel the presence of the Lord. My heart was so open, and full. I am still smiling when I think about it.

wow, that sounds great! I was just thinking the other day how I have no “sisterhood” in my life. No real girlfriends anymore (due to moving so much, losing tough via phone/email..etc..). It hurts. I would benefit from something like this!Jen recently posted..My baby’s 2nd Birthday

Hi friends,
If I’ve sent this to the wrong computer place,sorry. On my drive home from our Beach
House Saturday I was savoring traits and characteristics of each and every one of you and marveling in how fearfully and wonderfully we really are all made.
You were all so welcoming and I guess that’s what helped me figure out something huge. It’s so easy for me to approach people and seem so friendly because the one person ,whose best friend I want to be , doesn’t want me for one. Since he’s rejected me ,any other rejection is be a piece of cake.
So …being extroverted isn’t always a gift sometimes it’s a coping mechanism.
Light bulb…holy smokes….not sure what to do with this new insight…send ideas my way girls

ohhhhhhhh WOW is all I can say! wow wow wow! I wish I could have been a fly on the wall just to see all your lovelies… what a creative mastermind you ARE! and beautiful friendships to top it off? what an special event!!!!